Doors, bug screens, and other coverings of the type referred to are well known for many purposes. The various assemblies described herein are intended as substitutes for such conventional products.
In the context of doors for use in water containment applications such as about bathtubs and showers, known doors suffer a number of disadvantages- Rigid panel glass and/or plastic doors are known specifically adapted as tub and shower doors. Such doors have rigid fixed panels of glass or plastic opened by sliding or by being hinged typically either as a single hinged panel door or as a bi-fold door. Known rigid panel doors suffer the disadvantages that when hinged, they require space for the doors to swing or, when sliding, they do not permit full access to the tub or shower. When not open, the doors have the disadvantage of taking up a considerable amount of space.
Other door-like closures for water containment applications are well known as in the form of flexible slidable shower curtains hung from a bar above the tub/shower opening. While inexpensive, such curtains are frequently ineffective to prevent water leakage and considerable water damage can result especially through careless use as may frequently occur in hotels and the like. Attempts have also been made to use plastic sheets which can be pulled out to cover the shower opening and then rewound or refolded to conserve space when not in use. Such attempts have also not been successful from the standpoints of utility, cost and aesthetics.
In the context of doors for use in non-water containment, uses such as entryway doors, doors to close closets, cabinets and the like, many doors are known which are in effect, retractable. These include, notably, bi-fold doors and accordion doors. Both of these types of doors have the disadvantage that when retracted, they still impair entry to the opening and occupy a considerable amount of space. Typically, these doors are of a relatively substantial construction and, therefore, can be relatively expensive.
Hinged doors and sliding panel doors are also well known as having various disadvantages in that they interfere with otherwise usable space and/or limit the percentage of available access to the closet or other area being enclosed.
Current designs for screen doors, screen windows and room dividers also present problems since solid sliding doors, as well as solid frames for screens, occupy considerable space when not in use. Either they must be removed when not in use, or moved into wall openings for storage which is expensive and space consuming or they must remain visible which is unsightly.